Subfossil and modern diatom plankton and the paleolimnology of Rotsee (Switzerland) since 1850

The diatom biostratigraphy of the topmost sediment meter of Rotsee, Central Switzerland, is characterized by a major change fromCyclotella comensis-dominated toStephanodiscus hantzschii/S. parvus-dominated assemblages. A comparison between old phytoplankton samples, taken between 1910–1930, and subfossil diatom assemblages is used for dating the upper 35 cm of the core. There is evidence that the change in dominant diatoms occurred in 1919/20, thus before the opening of an artificial inlet in 1922, and is due to increasing eutrophication. Furthermore, the sedimentary carbonate content can be used as a good indicator for past phytoplankton productivity in Rotsee.     

Sedimentation in Lake Biel,an eutrophic,hard-water lake in northwestern Switzerland

A 2-year study of sedimentation in Lake Biel reveals that three major factors can account for the spatial and temporal patterns of tripton sedimentation. Allochthonous inputs of particulate matter mostly derived from the Aare river during spring snowmelt and other high-water periods, provide about 50% of the carbonate and 50% of the siliceous matter collected in sediment traps. Phytoplankton activity in this eutrophic, hard-water lake accounts for the rest of the carbonate and siliceous matter, the latter being mostly diatom frustules. Sedimentation rates are thus highest during periods of maximum river flooding, maximum phytoplankton activity and following the breakdown of the thermocline, at which time trapped particles settle out. Resuspension of sediment is important in at least one basin. Resolution of carbonate appears to be minor.     

Quantifying sediment storage in a high alpine valley (Turtmanntal,Switzerland)

The determination of sediment storage is a critical parameter in sediment budget analyses. But, in many sediment budget studies the quantification of magnitude and time‐scale of sediment storage is still the weakest part and often relies on crude estimations only, especially in large drainage basins (>100 km²). We present a new approach to storage quantification in a meso‐scale alpine catchment of the Swiss Alps (Turtmann Valley, 110 km²). The quantification of depositional volumes was performed by combining geophysical surveys and geographic information system (GIS) modelling techniques. Mean thickness values of each landform type calculated from these data was used to estimate the sediment volume in the hanging valleys and the trough slopes. Sediment volume of the remaining subsystems was determined by modelling an assumed parabolic bedrock surface using digital elevation model (DEM) data. A total sediment volume of 781·3×10⁶–1005·7×10⁶ m³ is deposited in the Turtmann Valley. Over 60% of this volume is stored in the 13 hanging valleys. Moraine landforms contain over 60% of the deposits in the hanging valleys followed by sediment stored on slopes (20%) and rock glaciers (15%). For the first time, a detailed quantification of different storage types was achieved in a catchment of this size. Sediment volumes have been used to calculate mean denudation rates for the different processes ranging from 0·1 to 2·6 mm/a based on a time span of 10 ka. As the quantification approach includes a number of assumptions and various sources of error the values given represent the order of magnitude of sediment storage that has to be expected in a catchment of this size. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relevance of inflows on the thermodynamic structure and on the modeling of a deep subalpine lake (Lake Maggiore,Northern Italy/Southern Switzerland)

Atmospheric exchanges largely dominate the heat budget of deep lakes in temperate regions. Heat import and export by through-flows is of much lower entity and has been neglected or simplified in many numerical thermodynamic models of lakes. This is often due either to the unavailability of data for inflows and outflows, or to the difficulties in forecasting the evolution of their discharge and temperature in climate change studies. While disregarding through-flows may seem correct, riverine intrusions can bring warmer water than the deep hypolimnetic one to the lower metalimnion and upper hypolimnion, where sunlight does not penetrate and mixing is poor. For holomictic lakes with significant inflow contributions, this can affect the thermal structure at intermediate depths, hampering any numerical model which neglects through-flows. This study focuses on a relevant basin under such aspect, Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy/Southern Switzerland), which drains the rainiest watershed of the Southern Alps. First, we quantify to what extent a one-dimensional fixed-level model ignoring through-flows is able to predict the observed evolution of the thermal structure of the lake and the improvements resulting from reproducing the main inflows and outflows. Then, we directly discuss the influence of through-flows on the thermodynamic structure of Lake Maggiore. The General Lake Model (GLM) was here adopted, reproducing the 1998–2014 period, spanning years with different meteorological and hydrological features. Results show that a calibrated enclosed-lake model can give satisfactory results only if it employs an unrealistically low light extinction coefficient to allow heating of the deep metalimnion and hypolimnion, whose real warming strongly depends on interflows.     

Vertical distributions of chlorophyll in deep, warm monomictic lakes

The factors affecting vertical distributions of chlorophyll fluorescence were examined in four temperate, warm monomictic lakes. Each of the lakes (maximum depth >80 m) was sampled over 2 years at intervals from monthly to seasonal. Profiles were taken of chlorophyll fluorescence (as a proxy for algal biomass), temperature and irradiance, as well as integrated samples from the surface mixed layer for chlorophyll a (chl a) and nutrient concentrations in each lake. Depth profiles of chlorophyll fluorescence were also made along transects of the longest axis of each lake. Chlorophyll fluorescence maxima occurred at depths closely correlated with euphotic depth (r ² = 0.67, P < 0.01), which varied with nutrient status of the lakes. While seasonal thermal density stratification is a prerequisite for the existence of a deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM), our study provides evidence that the depth of light penetration largely dictates the DCM depth during stratification. Reduction in water clarity through eutrophication can cause a shift in phytoplankton distributions from a DCM in spring or summer to a surface chlorophyll maximum within the surface mixed layer when the depth of the euphotic zone (z _eu) is consistently shallower than the depth of the surface mixed layer (z _SML). Trophic status has a key role in determining vertical distributions of chlorophyll in the four lakes, but does not appear to disrupt the annual cycle of maximum chlorophyll in winter.     

Benthic diatoms of an Alpine stream/lake network in Switzerland

We compared the benthic diatom composition of lakes, and lake inlet and outlet streams in a high elevation catchment (∼2600 m a.s.l.) in the Swiss Alps. The catchment consisted of a southern basin mostly fed by glacial-melt water and a northern basin fed by snowmelt and groundwater. Streams in both basins flowed through a series of small lakes before converging into a lake with a primary outlet channel. The south basin had on average 4°C cooler water temperatures and 2× higher nitrate-N levels (up to 300 μg/L) than the north basin. In contrast, the north basin had higher levels (2–4×) of particulate-P, particulate-N, and particulate organic matter than the south basin. A total of 109 and 143 diatom species was identified in lakes and streams, respectively, with a similar number of species found in each basin. Aulacoseira alpigena and Achnanthidium minutissimum were common benthic algae in north basin lakes, whereas Achnanthes subatomoides, Achnanthes marginulata, Pinnularia microstauron, and Psammothidium helveticum were most common in south basin lakes. One disconnected lake in the north basin had an assemblage dominated by Tabellaria flocculosa (66%) and Eunotia tenella (14%). Principal components analysis showed a clear separation between the north and south basins in lotic diatoms. Of the 10 most common species, streams in the south basin had greater abundances of Psammothidium helveticum, Achnanthes helvetica var. minor, Achnanthes marginulata, Achnanthes subatomoides, and Diatoma mesodon than the north basin, whereas north basin streams had higher abundances of Achnanthidium minutissimum, Aulacoseira alpigena, and Luticola goeppertiana. Lake outlet assemblages were similar to respective downstream lake inlet assemblages, and assemblages changed in composition along each basins longitudinal flow path. However, Aulacoseira alpigena had higher average abundances in north basin outlets than inlets, and Achnanthidium minutissimum, Psammothidium helveticum, and Achnanthes helvetica var. minor had higher average abundances in south basin outlets than inlets. In contrast, Diatoma mesodon, Fragilaria capucina, and Gomphonema parvulum had higher average abundances in south basin inlets than outlets. The spatial patterns in species composition reflected the hierarchical interaction of landscape features (geology, hydrology) on longitudinal gradients (lake position) in the stream/lake network.     

Hydrological heterogeneity of an alpine stream–lake network in Switzerland

Water source and lake landscape position can strongly influence the physico‐chemical characteristics of flowing waters over space and time. We examined the physico‐chemical heterogeneity in surface waters of an alpine stream‐lake network (>2600 m a.s.l.) in Switzerland. The catchment comprises two basins interspersed with 26 cirque lakes. The larger lakes in each basin are interconnected by streams that converge in a lowermost lake with an outlet stream. The north basin is primarily fed by precipitation and groundwater, whereas the south basin is fed mostly by glacial melt from rock glaciers. Surface flow of the entire channel network contracted by ～60% in early autumn, when snowmelt runoff ceased and cold temperatures reduced glacial outputs, particularly in the south basin. Average water temperatures were ～4 °C cooler in the south basin, and temperatures increased by about 4–6 °C along the longitudinal gradient within each basin. Although overall water conductivity was low (<27 µS cm^?1) because of bedrock geology (ortho‐gneiss), the south basin had two times higher conductivity values than the north basin. Phosphate‐phosphorus levels were below analytical detection limits, but particulate phosphorus was about four times higher in the north basin (seasonal average: 9 µg l^?1) than in the south basin (seasonal average: 2 µg l^?1). Dissolved nitrogen constituents were around two times higher in the south basin than in the north basin, with highest values averaging > 300 µg l^?1 (nitrite + nitrate‐nitrogen), whereas particulate nitrogen was approximately nine times greater in the north basin (seasonal average: 97 µg l^?1) than in the south basin (seasonal average: 12 µg l^?1). Total inorganic carbon was low (usually <0·8 mg l^?1), silica was sufficient for algal growth, and particulate organic carbon was 4·5 times higher in the north basin (average: 0·9 mg l^?1) than in the south basin (average: 0·2 mg l^?1). North‐basin streams showed strong seasonality in turbidity, particulate‐nitrogen and ‐phosphorus, and particulate organic carbon, whereas strong seasonality in south‐basin streams was observed in conductivity and dissolved nitrogen. Lake position influenced the seasonal dynamics in stream temperatures and nutrients, particularly in the groundwater/precipitation‐fed north‐basin network. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Melt water driven stream and groundwater stage fluctuations on a glacier forefield (Dammagletscher,Switzerland)

In many mountain regions, large land areas with heterogeneous soils have become ice‐free with the ongoing glacier retreat. On these recently formed proglacial fields, the melt of the remaining glaciers typically drives pronounced diurnal stream level fluctuations that propagate into the riparian zone. This behaviour was measured on the Damma glacier forefield in central Switzerland with stage recorders in the stream and groundwater monitoring wells along four transects. In spite of the large groundwater stage variations, radon measurements in the near‐stream riparian zone indicate that there is little mixing between stream water and groundwater on daily time scales. At all four transects, including both losing and gaining reaches, the groundwater level fluctuations lagged the stream stage variations and were often damped with distance from the stream. Similar behaviours have been modelled using the diffusion equation in coastal regions influenced by tidal sea level variations. We thus tested the ability of such a model to predict groundwater level fluctuations in proglacial fields. The model reproduced several key features of the observed fluctuations at three of four locations, although discrepancies also arise due to non representative input data and model simplifications. Nevertheless, calibration of the model for the individual transects yielded realistic estimates of hydraulic diffusivities between the stream and groundwater monitoring wells. We conclude that studying diurnal groundwater fluctuations can provide important information about the subsurface hydrology of alpine watersheds dominated by glacier melt. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mercury in sediments of the Horwer Bucht (Lake Lucerne) and tributary streams,Switzerland

The mercury content of sieved, dried sediments from 24 sampling sites in the Horwer Bucht (Lake Lucerne) and its principal tributary stream system in Horw LU (Switzerland) was determined by flameless atomic absorption analysis. Mercury content significantly above background levels were found at several points. The distribution of mercury in the bay sediments implies that the Steinibach is the principal supplier of mercury to the bay.     

Effect of eutrophication on species composition and growth of freshwater mussels(Mollusca,Unionidae) in Lake Hallwil (Aargau,Switzerland)

Species composition, relative abundance and life history of unionid mussels are compared between 1982–86 and 1915–19 in Lake Hallwil and the outflowing brook. The recent samples of unionid mussels were collected by divers, whereas the older ones were from a shell collection. The motivation for the comparison was that the trophic degree of the lake has changed since the beginning of the century from mesotrophic to highly eutrophic. The effects of this increased trophic degree of the lake on the life cycle of unionid mussels is discussed. Predictions are made about species composition and life history in the context of the ongoing lake restoration by the authorities.     

Functional feeding groups of a macroinvertebrate community in a northern German lake outlet (Lake Belau, Schleswig-Holstein)

At four typical sections of the stream Kossau Diptera were caught by emergence traps. Two of the sections can be regarded as to a great degree undisturbed due to their morphology and vegetation at the banks. Two sections have undergone various anthropogenic changes. Representatives of the families Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae, Psychodidae, Limoniidae, Ptychopteridae, Dixidae, Culicidae, Simuliidae, and Empididae were collected. Altogether, 106 species were identified. The majority of species belong to the family Chironomidae (74), followed by the Ceratopogonidae (8), Psychodidae, and Empididae (7 each). The numbers of species collected at each stream section ranged from 56 to 69. At the undisturbed and shaded sections 69 and 66 species were found, at the meadow sections 56 and 68 species. Hence, a general connection between the loss of a state close to the natural environment and the number of species can not be stated.A total of 29,349 Diptera emerged. The highest number of individuals was found at a stream section covered with aquatic macrophytes (16,797 ind.), the lowest at a forest section without macrophytes (2,554 ind.). The Chironomidae make up for more than 82% of all Diptera. The Simuliidae rank second accounting for 3 to 17%, followed by the Ceratopogonidae. Like the Ceratopogonidae, all other families comprise less than 1% of the individuals collected.Only a few species demonstrated a distinct preference for the two forest sections of the stream, whereas about 50% of the species occurred in at least three of the four sections. Regarding the species represented by more than two individuals per emergence trap, it became apparent that the correspondence between the forst and the meadow sections is rather small.A comparison of the emergence of individual families revealed that many species found in the Kossau also occur in another lowland stream, similar to the Kossau concerning width, current velocity, and water level. Furthermore, the ecological demands of several species turned out to be not as high as they were considered to be, mainly referring to the temperature: Species proven in the Kossau and in other summer-warm streams may no longer be regarded as ‘cold-stenothermic’.     

The cysts ofCeratium hirundinella: Their dynamics and role within a eutrophic (Lake Sempach,Switzerland)

The dynamics of theCeratium hirundinella population and the abundance of dinocysts in the plankton and sediments were studied in Lake Sempach in 1988. In 1987, a rich population ofCeratium (380 cells ml^–1) accompanied byPeridinium spp. developed in the lake. The dinocysts were found entrapped in a kind of flocs, in the deepest part of the lake, in the upper flocculent layer. The number of viable cysts ofCeratium in the sediments decreased gradually from April to July 1988. TheCeratium population increased slowly starting in April, and reached a maximum number in August (31 cells ml^–1).Peridinium willei reached 100 cells ml^–1. Newly formed cysts ofCeratium were recorded in the plankton and sediments at the end of July — beginning of August. They appear in the sediments as separate cells. Their number increased gradually, reaching a maximum of 600 cysts l^–1 at the end of October.Ceratium formed more cysts than didPeridinium, but the rate of survival of theCeratium cysts appears to be lower than that ofPeridinium cysts. In addition to their biological functions, the cysts also have an impact on the ecosystem as carriers of nutrients from down to up and from up to down.     

Seven decades of hydrogeomorphological changes in a near-natural (Sense River) and a hydropower-regulated (Sarine River) pre-Alpine river floodplain in Western Switzerland

Hydropower alteration of the natural flow and sediment regime can severely degrade hydromorphology, thereby threatening biodiversity and overall ecosystem processes of rivers and their floodplains. Using sequences of aerial images, we quantified seven decades (1938/1942–2013) of spatiotemporal changes in channel and floodplain morphology, as well as changes in the physical habitats, of three floodplain river reaches of the Swiss pre-Alps, two hydropower-regulated and one near-natural. In the Sarine River floodplain, within the first decades of hydropower impairment, the magnitude and frequency of flood events (Q₂, Q₁₀, Q₃₀) decreased substantially. As a result, the area of pioneer floodplain habitats that depend on flood activity and sediment dynamic, such as bare sediments, decreased dramatically by approximately 95%. However, by 2013 vegetated areas had generally increased in comparison to the pre-regulation period in 1943, indicating general vegetative colonization. Between 1943 and 2013, the active channel underwent essential narrowing (up to 62% width reduction in the residual flow reach) and habitat turnover rates were very low (5% of the total floodplain area changed habitat type five to six times). In contrast, from the 1950s onwards, the near-natural floodplain of the Sense River experienced recurrent narrowing and widening, and frequent changes between bare and vegetated areas, reflecting the shifting habitat mosaic concept typical for natural floodplains. In the three reaches investigated, we found that the active floodplain width and erosion of vegetated areas were primarily controlled by medium to large floods (Q₁₀, Q₃₀), which combined with reduced time intervals between ordinary floods ≥ Q₂ most likely mobilized streambed sediments and limited the ability of vegetation to establish itself on bare gravel bars within the parafluvial zone. These findings can contribute to restoration action plans such as controlled flooding and sediment replenishments in the Sarine and other floodplain rivers of the Alps. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Horizontal distribution and transport processes of bloom-forming Microcystis in a large shallow lake (Taihu, China)

The horizontal distribution of bloom-forming Microcystis in a specific lake area and the transport of Microcystis by wind-driven lake currents between Meiliang Bay and the open water of Taihu Lake were measured during continuous field observations from August 21 to 25, 2006. During the observations, the horizontal distributions of Microcystis, represented by Chlorophyll a, showed a clear concentration toward downwind lake areas. According to the lake currents and the Chl a concentrations on the boundary line between the Meiliang Bay and the open water, the transported Chl a was less than 2% of the total weight of Chl a in Meiliang Bay on August 22, 24 and 25. The results suggest that the horizontal distribution of the bloom-forming Microcystis was strongly affected by the wind conditions, and the wind-driven Microcystis accumulation was mainly determined by surface drift; the transport of Microcystis by lake currents was much less important in this large, shallow lake.